Method of casting car-wheels



(No Model.)

W. WILMINGTON.

METHOD OF CASTING OAR WHEELS.

Patented Dec. 9, 1884.

INYENTOB,

BY if 23 ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES;

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UNlTlED diaries arena rricn,

WVILLIAM XVILMINGTON, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

METHOD OF CASTING CAR-WHEELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,120, dated December 9, 1884.

(N0 model.)

To all 1071,0177 it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM: WILMING- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Casting OarlVheels, of which the following is a description.

This. invention relates to an improvement upon a method of casting car-wheels, upon which method Letters Patent No. 289,741 of the United States were granted me Decemher 4, 1883 That method consists in placing finely-powdered term-manganese or its equivalent gradually in the stream of molten iron from the pouring-ladle or in the receiving basin of the mold with the molten iron when the mold of the car-wheel is about threefourths filled, the ferro-manganese being melt ed by contact with the molten iron and disseminated in the same in the hub and plate portions of the car-wheel. This method produces very beneficial effects upon the iron forming the hub and plate portions of cast-iron carwheels, but not to the extent desired upon the iron composing the brackets and flange parts of the wheel, because at the time the ferro manganese, (or its equivalent,) in combination with the inflowing iron, enters the mold the iron already in the same and filling the depressions in the drag forming the brackets and the back part of the flange had become solidified to such an extent as to prevent the ferromanganese or its equivalent from diffusing itself in these parts; consequently, the iron forming these portions of the wheel remains in its normal state. The objections to the same may be stated as follows: The flange of the car-wheel projects away from the main body of metal forming the rim of the wheel, and the metal forming the flange being inclosed by the chill and moist sand, the molten iron is suddenly solidified, and the same not having its chill-hardening properties modified by the diffusion of ferro-manganese through it, this causes the flange at times to be almost wholly white or chill-hardened,wl1ich lessens greatly the strength of the flange, and is very objectionable.

The common method of forming brackets on the back part of cast-iron car-wheels imparts greater strength to the wheel at a less cost than any other known method; but brackets are to a certain extent objectionable because of their necessary form, the same being compara- 5 5 tively thin, and, projecting away from the plate of the wheel, are, next to the flange, the parts to cool first, and being connected with the hub-plate and rim of the wheel, and the same being in one piece, causes inherent strain upon the car-wheel, which increases the liability of the same to fracture while in use.

The object of my improvement is to overcome these difficulties; and to this end I modify the chill-hardening properties of molten castiron forming a car-wheel in varying degrees by a method of imparting rich ferro-manganese to the molten iron immediately before or at the time the iron is entering the mold of a car-wheel from the basin of the same, thus forming an admixture with the molten iron of rich ferro manganese, or its equivalent, in varying quantities, whereby the iron composing the brackets and flange of the wheel are modified to an extent without materially af fecting the tread of the wheel, and at a later period of filling the mold by placing greater quantities of i'erro-manganese, or, its equivalent, into the intlowing iron forming the hub and inner plates, which will further modify the chilling properties of the iron forming the same.

In practicing my improvement of casting chilled-tread cast-iron car-whecls, I use the common forms of double or single plated car- 85 wheel molds having various forms of depressions in the drag of the same to impart form to a series of brackets, and also the back part of the flange of the wheel. The mold being in a horizontal position, I take in a pouringladle a required quantity of molten chill-hardening cast-iron, or other suitable combination of cast-irons and steel for car-wheels, and commence to fill the mold of a ear-wheel in the ordinary manner, with the exception or addition of the following process. At the time, or immediately after commencing to fill the mold, I commence to place gradually into the current of molten iron from the pouring-ladle,or into the receiving-basin of the mold with the molt- I00 on iron, rich and finely-powdered or granulated ferro-manganese, or its equivalent, allowing the same to be melted and disseminated by the inherent heat in the molten iron in the flowing stream of the same or in the basin. The continuous flow of molten iron will carry with it into the mold the ferro-manganese,and the same being diffused in the iron filling the depressions in the drag forming the brackets andflange will modify the chilling properties of the same. The continuing inflow of molten iron at this time having greater quantities of ferro-manganese,or its equivalent,in mixture, finally fills the mold,whereby the iron forming the hub and inner plates is still further modified in its chilling properties and thus securing to the car-wheel great strength.

To modify the iron forming these parts of cast-iron car-wheelsfl prefer to use by my process very rich ferromanganese, which may be from seventy-five to ninety per cent, because it takes less to produce thedesired results; but I do not confine myself to the use of rich ferro-manganese alone to alloy certain parts ofcast-iron car-wheels; but I may use to modify the chilling properties of some qualities of chill-hardening east-iron small particles of spiegeleisen or small particles ol'cast-iron having large portions of manganese or uneonr bined carbon in their composition, I also use to alloy, by my process, suitable combinations of cast-iron and steel for chilled-tread carwheels, any required combination of the the iron forming portions of cast-iron carwheels; but I use greater proportions of the alloying equivalents named, the quantity depending upon the chilling properties of the molten product from which the car-wheel is to be cast by my method, as described above.

The accompanying drawing represents aeentral eross-section of the mold of ear-wheel 5 A, the basin; B, the infiowing openings; C, de pressions in thedrag forming the brackets; D, another depression in the drag forming the back part of the flange.

The distinctive features of my invention consist in imparting rich ferro-manganese, or its equivalent, to molten chillhardening castiron at or about the time thesame is first entering the mold of a car-wheel whereby the pro jeccting portions of the iron of the wheel in the drag are lessened in their chillhardening properties, and at a later period of the filling of the mold imparting greater quantities of l'erro manganese to the iron flowing into the mold.

YVhat I claim as my invention is The method of casting car-wheels, which consists in placing gradually into the stream of molten metal or in the receiving-basin of a ear-wheel mold at or about the time of the first entering of molten -metal product into the mold richand finely-powdered or granulated form-manganese, or its equivalent, whereby the same is melted and disseminated by thein herent heat in the stream of flowing iron,or in the molten iron in the receiving-basin, and at a later period increasing the proportion of ferromanganese, substantially as and for the purpose described.

\VILLIAM \VILMINGTON.

Vitnesses:

ALEXANDER \Vnn'nn, LINCOLN Hays. 

